National Assembly to clarify alleged discrepancies on gazetted tax acts

By Kingsley Okoye

The National Assembly has promised to make certified copies of the tax bills signed by President Bola Tinubu available as to address public concerns over alleged discrepancies in the Acts

The Director of Information in National Assembly, Mr Bullah Bi-Allah, announced this in a statement on Thursday.

Bi-Allah said the National Assembly has directed the Clerk to release the transmitted tax bills, including the certificate pages, to allow the public verify the documents.

According to him, the decision to release the document was in response to public calls for transparency.

He added that that the release would allow members of the public to review and verify the documents.

He said the management had taken note of the alleged discrepancies between votes and proceedings of the National Assembly and the gazetted versions of passed tax acts.

He, however, said that in spite of widespread public interest, only limited persons have formally requested for the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the harmonised bills, affirming that all such requests had been processed.

According to him, the Clerk is also working with the Federal Government Printing Press to publish the duly certified and assented Acts in compliance with the law.

He said the gazettes are expected to be ready on Thursday.

Bi-Allah said, while it was the duty of the clerk to initiate the gazetting process, the statutory responsibility for printing and publication lies with the federal government printing press.

To strengthen institutional processes, he said National Assembly would review procedures for the transmission and gazetting of bills.

“Henceforth, all bills for presidential assent will be routed through presidential liaison officers.

“No request for gazetting an act of the national assembly will be entertained by the printing press, unless initiated by the Clerk to the National Assembly or his authorised representative.

“National Assembly appreciates Nigerians for their interest and constructive engagement in strengthening transparency, accountability and professionalism in
the legislative process.”

Recall that many Nigerians and groups have called for suspension of the implementation of the tax laws over alleged discrepancy in the provisions signed into law and the one passed by the National Assembly.

But President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday directed that the new tax laws, including those that took effect on June 26, and others scheduled to commence on Jan. 1, 2026, will be implemented as planned.

However, the President acknowledged ongoing public discourse surrounding the alleged changes to some provisions of the recently enacted tax laws.

But he noted that no substantial issue had been identified to justify halting or disrupting the reform process.

“No substantial issue has been established that warrants a disruption of the reform process,”Tinubu maintained.

The president emphasised his administration’s commitment to due process and the integrity of laws duly enacted by the National Assembly.

“Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures,” Tinubu said.

He assured Nigerians that the Presidency would continue to work with the National Assembly to address any issues that may arise during implementation.

“I assure all Nigerians that the Federal Government will continue to act in the overriding public interest to ensure a tax system that supports prosperity and shared responsibility,” he said.

He clarified that the tax laws were not designed to increase the tax burden on Nigerians but to reset the fiscal system, promote harmonisation and strengthen the social contract.

Tinubu said, “The tax laws are not designed to raise taxes, but rather to support a structural reset, drive harmonisation, and protect dignity while strengthening the social contract.”

The president urged the stakeholders to support the implementation phase, noting that the reforms had now moved firmly into the delivery stage.

“I urge all stakeholders to support the implementation phase, which is now firmly in the delivery stage,” he said.

(NAN)